Hurricane Preparedness

Provided for you are a list of resources to help you prepare in the event that a hurricane heads our way. First and foremost, check out the Property Committee’s page on the Diocese’s website. There you’ll find preparedness information:

Secondly, check with your local Emergency Managers to see if they might need any assistance should the storm impact your area. Your churches might not qualify as emergency shelters, but there are other things that could be of service such as, storing emergency food stores, serving as cell phone charging stations for area residents, being a water distribution point, etc. http://www.riema.ri.gov/response/contacts/local/index.php

Elderly/Disabled Members: Check your membership rosters. Do you have congregants who might need help securing their yards, need groceries, or need medications refilled, etc? Arrange in teams of two to assist those in need.

Water Incursion: Some church buildings flood during the mildest of spring storms. Obviously making the necessary repairs won’t happen overnight. If you are prone to flooding, check these out – FloodSax, aka instant sandbags. These are lightweight fluid absorbent pads that can help stem the tide. They come 20-24 to a case and run about $200. They are super absorbent and last 90 days. The distributor lives in Rhode Island and he told me he can usually get a supply out to a church within a day. (I saw these during RI Emergency Management’s Preparation Conference) Check out this video from the Weather Channel: